Goldilocks and the Genius
by hyacinthian
Summary: PostDuet. Cadman can't get used to being in her own skin. But what does this have to do with Rodney? [CadmanMcKay]


A/N: Oh, I don't really like this fic. Eh. It sorta rubs me the wrong way. I don't know. I feel like Rodney is OOC, and he probably is, but shrug Eh. What else am I supposed to do with no SGA until JULY::dies: Anyway, enjoy it. It's Cadman/McKay.

* * *

To say Laura Cadman is uncomfortable is an understatement. It was her first day out of the infirmary and, like the good soldier she was, she decided to try and get some work done. But she found herself stumbling down the hallway. Because…her feet felt smaller than they usually were. And her legs felt too long or too short—something. And she knew it was her, she knew it, because…well…any problem adjusting must be her problem and hers alone. Right? 

But she found odd thoughts drifting into her mind. And this whole debacle wasn't even her fault at all. Aliens. Incredibly intelligent, and yet—she placed out an arm to brace her ill-placed step—incredibly sadistic. She took a breath and steadied herself. This was ridiculous. Walking. Trouble walking. She had already mastered this concept however many years ago. You know, when she couldn't even form words yet. She took another determined breath. She wasn't going to stumble. She began to walk. Emitting a small yelp, she quickly corrected her position. Who knew the floor could be an object to trip over?

Leaning against the door, she practically fell into her room. She sighed. This was getting frustrating. Her eyes flitted around the room, which felt somewhat unfamiliar to her. The shower. Yes. That's exactly what she needed. To stand in one place until she got her legs back again. To wash off that damned feeling of being incomplete. She turned the faucets, and the shower sprung to life, water streaming, arching down to collide softly against the ceramic of the shower.

She quickly divested herself of all her clothing before stepping beneath the streaming water. She loved this feeling. The feeling of scalding hot water against her flesh. It was like music. Ever since she was young, it had always made her feel like she was stripping away all of her bad feelings, and she thought with a mirthless chuckle, the topmost layer of her skin with it. But it was a good cleansing feeling, and it would help her to forget how she didn't live in her body for a period of time.

Her hands slid into her hair, lathering it up with shampoo. She felt the soap begin to foam in her hands. She quickly rinsed out all the shampoo and simply let the feeling of comfort wash over her as her skin quickly adjusted itself to the incredibly heated water. She then began to scrub her arms and shoulders vigorously with soap. She laughed aloud, breaking the silence. Her hands felt smaller and smoother…they were nothing at all like—she took a sharp breath. _Don't go down that road. Don't go down that road. Don't keep going with that thought. _But her mantra was failing her. She could suddenly feel it all the more. His slightly calloused hands running across her smooth flesh. His lips against her neck, her shoulder, her collarbone. His deliciously male scent as he—she crinkled her nose before opening one eye. She hadn't even realized that her eyes had closed. That was what was missing.

Feeling bold, she decided she'd sneak into his room. …just for a bit. It wasn't like she planned to move in there permanently or anything. Quickly rinsing, she stepped out of the shower and dressed.

She moved as surreptitiously down the hall as she could manage, her manner of walking greatly improved. She snuck into his room, and was at first greeted by the starkness of decoration before the incredibly masculine scent attacked her nostrils. Sighing contentedly, she crept over to the bed she had become familiar with and collapsed on it. The scent seemed to envelop her in its comfort, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

"Cadman!" A faint whining made itself known to her. "What are you doing here?" As she hadn't moved, he yelled her name louder. She lifted her head groggily, blinking to eliminate her sleep-blurred vision. As her eyes focused, she noticed that it was Rodney. Rolling her eyes, she let her head fall back onto the bed. He called her name again.

"Rodney, I can hear you!"

"Then why aren't you getting up?"

"Because I don't want to."

"And why not?"

"I like it here!"

"What's wrong with your room? You know, one of these things," he made a sweeping gesture with his arm, "that was relegated to you!"

"S'not right."

"Well, thank you, Goldilocks," he replied, a scowl on his face. "What, tried Elizabeth and Colonel Sheppard's room too?"

"Well, what are you doing here?"

"It's my room!"

"Besides that."

"I had planned to sleep here, yes."

"All right. I'll just shift over a bit."

"Cadman! You're a…"

"Beautiful tap dancing explosives expert? Why, thank you." He scowled. She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, Rodney. I am aware that I have a vagina and you don't. It isn't like we're having sex or anything. You're just sleeping next to me!" She closed her eyes, the feelings from earlier returning. No sex. Don't even use the word. Think the word. Don't involve the word with any verb whatsoever. Oh, God. Sex with Rodney. Or person. That would be bad too. "And if you don't want to, then just go sleep in my room or something."

"Cadman, this is my room!"

"I realize that."

"You're kicking me out of _my _room?"

"Rodney, just shut up and get on the damn bed." She yawned, before rolling over to make space for him, and shutting her eyes. He grumbled slightly before getting ready for bed and slipping beneath the covers next to her.

During the night, her bare arms had exposed her to the cold, and she had gravitated closer to him, as he had shifted closer to her. She ended in the embrace of his arms, the slightly calloused fingers brushing over her skin. They had ended up in a position mimicking that of a tight hug, and her leg flung over his had only solidified the position.

In the late morning, Rodney's internal clock caused him to wake. Greeted with warmth and an inextricable position, he cracked open an eye. Noting the still slumbering Cadman, he smiled and shut his eyes. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
